History - Bali and Lombok - page 15

fabrics. Watch out for 'batik' fabric that has been screen printed. The colours
will be washed out compared with real batik cloth, and the pattern is often
only on one side (the dye should colour both sides as the belief is that the
body should feel what the eye sees).

SMALL TALK
'Where do you stay?' 'Where do you come from?' You'll hear these questions over and over whether
you're in a gallery, a café, walking down the street or just sitting in the shade. It's Balinese small
talk and is traditional for locals who wish to change your status from complete stranger to a
known quantity. It's all part of the culture.
Saying you're staying 'over there' and that you come from 'over there' can suffice as answers or
you can go into detail. But expect follow-ups. 'Are you married?' It's easiest to say you are sudah
kawin, 'already married'. 'Where's your partner?' A dead spouse is considered less of a tragedy than
a divorced one. 'Do you want a boyfriend?' It's definitely easier to be 'married' than single.
'What's your religion?' If you have a strong conviction say so, otherwise just name whatever
is common where you are from (you know, 'over there').
Don't get bent out of shape by this small talk, it's what makes Bali a sociable and enjoyable
place.

Balinese Textiles
by Hauser, Nabholz-
Kartaschoff & Ramseyer
is a large and lavishly
illustrated guide detailing
weaving styles and their
significance.

Ikat
In this complex process, the pattern is dyed into either the warp threads
(those stretched on the loom), or weft threads (those woven across the
warp) before the material is woven. The resulting pattern is geometric and
slightly wavy. Its beauty depends on the complexity of the pattern and the
harmonious blending of colours, typically of a similar tone - blues and
greens; reds and browns; or yellows, reds and oranges. Ikat sarongs and
kain are not everyday wear, but they are not for strictly formal occasions
either.
Gianyar, in East Bali, is a major textile centre with a number of factories
where you can watch ikat sarongs being woven on a hand-and-foot-powered
loom; a complete sarong takes about six hours to make.

WOODCARVING
A decorative craft, woodcarving was chiefly used for carved doors or columns;
figures such as Garudas, or demons with a symbolic nature; minor functional
objects, such as bottle tops; and the carved wooden masks used in Balinese
dance. Yet, as with painting, it was the demand from outside that inspired
new subjects and styles.
Ubud was a centre for the revolution in woodcarving. Some carvers started
producing highly stylised figures. Others carved delightful animal figures,
some realistic, some complete caricatures. More styles and trends developed:
whole tree trunks carved into ghostly, intertwined 'totem poles', and curi-
ously exaggerated and distorted figures which became baroque fantasies.
Almost all carving is of local woods, including belalu, a quick-growing
light wood, and the stronger fruit timbers such as jackfruit wood. Ebony from
Sulawesi is also used. Sandalwood, with its delightful fragrance, is expensive,
soft and used for some small, very detailed pieces.
Tegallalang and Jati, on the road north from Ubud to Batur, are noted
woodcarving centres. Many workshops line the road east of Peliatan (p205),
near Ubud, to Goa Gajah (Elephant Cave). The route from Mas, through
Peliatan, Petulu and up the scenic slope to Pujung is also a centre for family
based workshops; listen for the tapping sound of the carvers' mallets.
Despite the emphasis on what sells, there's always something special, the
technical skill is high and the Balinese sense of humour shines through - a
frog clutching a leaf as an umbrella, or a weird demon on the side of a bell
clasping his hands over his ears. It's difficult to separate traditional and for-
eign influences. The Balinese have always incorporated and adapted foreign
themes into their work - religious figures based on Hindu mythology are
very different to the equivalent carvings made in India.
In Lombok, carving usually decorates functional items, such as containers
for tobacco and spices, and the handles of betel-nut crushers and knives.
Materials include wood, horn and bone. A recent fashion is for primitive-
style elongated masks, often decorated with inlaid shell pieces. Cakranegara,
Sindu, Labuapi and Senanti are centres for carving.
Wooden articles lose moisture when moved to a drier environment. Avoid
possible shrinkage by placing the carving in a plastic bag at home, and letting
some air in for about one week every month for four months.

Gringsing
In the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, in eastern Bali, a double ikat process is
used, in which both warp and weft threads are predyed. Called gringsing,
this complex and time-consuming process isn't practised anywhere else in
Indonesia. Typical colours are red, brown, yellow and deep purple. The dyes
used are obtained from natural sources, and some of the colours can take
years to mix and age. The dyes also weaken the cotton fabric, so old examples
of gringsing are extremely rare.

The Bali Arts Festival
showcases the work of
thousands of Balinese
each June and July in
Denpasar. See p336 for
details.

Songket
For kamben, kain and sarongs worn exclusively for ceremonial occasions,
the songket cloth, with gold or silver threads woven into the tapestry-like
material, has motifs of birds, butterflies, leaves and flowers. Belayu, a small
village in southwestern Bali between Mengwi and Marga, is a centre for
songket weaving. Songket is also woven near Singaraja.

Prada
Another technique for producing very decorative fabrics for special occa-
sions, prada involves the application of gold leaf, or gold or silver paint or
thread to the surface of a finished material. Motifs are similar to those used
in songket . The result is not washable, so prada is reserved for kain or for
decorative wraps on offerings and for temple umbrellas. For prada, have a
look at shops in Sukawati, south of Gianyar.

Weaving on Lombok
Lombok is renowned for its traditional weaving on backstrap looms, the
techniques handed down from mother to daughter. Each cloth is woven
in established patterns and colours, some interwoven with gold thread.
Abstract flower and animal motifs sometimes decorate this exquisite cloth;
look carefully to recognise forms such as buffaloes, dragons, crocodiles and
snakes. Several villages specialise in weaving cloth, while others concentrate
on fine baskets and mats woven from rattan or grass. You can visit factories
around Cakranegara and Mataram that produce weft ikat on old hand-and-
foot-operated looms.

The website www
.lombok-network.com
gives details of Lombok
customs, and the arts and